Rep. Arthur L. Turner

Amends the Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act. Increases the membership of the pilot project task force from 6 to 10, adding one representative of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; one representative of the Illinois Federation of Public Employees; and 2 representatives of the Department of Human Services, one representing the Division of Mental Health and the other representing the Division of Developmental Disabilities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that any person 61 years of age or older applying at a driver services facility for renewal of his or her driver's license shall be provided, without charge, with a brochure warning the person of the dangers of financial identity theft. Provides that the Secretary of State shall prepare these brochures in consultation with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Establishes requirements for the content of the brochures. Provides that the Secretary shall adopt rules for implementing the new provision.

Amends the Grow Our Own Teacher Education Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Grow Your Own Teacher Act. Defines "developmental classes" and makes changes to the definition of "parent and community leaders" and "schools serving a substantial percentage of low-income students". Replaces references to "student" and "participant" with "candidate" throughout the Act. Provides that the State Board shall establish criteria that address the inclusion in the planned program of strategies derived from community organizing that will help candidates develop tools for working with parents and other community members. Provides for partial loan forgiveness for shortened periods of service in hard-to-staff schools or hard-to-staff teaching positions. Provides that school districts may use those portions of the grant money designated for the expenses of supporting the work experiences of candidates and providing mentors for graduates or other applicable public funds to pay participants in programs under the initiative for student teaching required by an accredited teacher preparation program. Provides that one member of the consortium may expend funds to cover the salary of a site-based cohort coordinator and that grant funds may be expended to pay directly for required developmental classes for candidates beginning a program. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2007.

Amends the School Code and the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Removes a provision that requires a sex education course that discusses sexual intercourse to have course material and instruction to advise pupils of the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act and to provide information about responsible parenting and the availability of confidential adoption services. Provides instead that the Comprehensive Health Education Program must provide course material and instruction to advise pupils of the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act and to provide information about responsible parenting and the availability of confidential adoption services. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois State Diabetes Commission Act. Establishes the Illinois State Diabetes Commission. Sets forth term lengths of members and provides that members shall be reimbursed only for reasonable and necessary expenses. Requires the Department of Public Health to provide administrative support for the Commission. Sets forth duties of the Commission. Permits the Department to accept on behalf of the Commission any federal funds or gifts and donations from individuals, private organizations, and foundations. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2010. Effective November 1, 2006.

Creates the Illinois Opportunity Fund Act. Contains provisions intended to increase the availability and facilitate the delivery of institutional venture capital and private equity investment to emerging and expanding enterprises in the State of Illinois. Defines the role of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Creates the Illinois Opportunity Fund and provides for the creation of the Illinois Capital Investment Corporation. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Illinois Opportunity Special Projects Fund. Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act to authorize audits of the Corporation and the Fund. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Urges that China stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, the United States investigate organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners in China, and President Bush raise these issues with Hu Jintao, the President of China, during his upcoming visit to the United States.

Creates the Long-Term Prisoner Study Committee to examine whether life without parole and sentences over 30 years are necessary for public safety and are the best use of State funds. Report due by June 1, 2007.

Declares the week of February 27 through March 4, 2006, as Illinois State Historical Society Markers Awareness Week in Illinois.

Declares the week of February 27 through March 4, 2006, as Illinois State Historical Society Markers Awareness Week in Illinois.